The 10 Most Effective Ways to Find a Job

[MoU_Team]

1) Be patient!
Keep calm and remind yourself that if you keep trying hard, you will eventually get the job you want.

2) Discipline yourself!
Treat job hunting like a serious job in itself and give it your full work discipline. Carefully plan out how you will use your time and stick to your schedule.

3) Don't wait for the job to come to you -- GO GET IT!
Going to a company and talking to people (especially the boss) is one of the most effective ways to get a job.

4) Pack your schedule!
The average job hunter may visit 10 – 70 companies before getting a job. It’s a numbers game: the more people you see, the sooner you will get the job you want.

5) Where's the growth?
Knowing the job market means knowing who is hiring.

6) Network, Network, Network!
Don’t ask people for jobs directly; ask for their help and advice. Build a network digitally as well as verbally and use email, fax, and Web sites to help connect you to your “helpers”.

7) Visit the Institutions!
Extend your network to the larger society.
Cool Hit the Books, Again!

8 ) Keep your professional skills sharp while job hunting.
Develop a portfolio of your best work for all the interviews you will receive from your job hunting efforts.

9) Be Flexible about What Job You Will Take!
Be flexible about what you will take, and you may find more opportunities within that job.

10) Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket.
Be diverse. Be a “Jack-of-all-trades”. Education is a way of life. If you need to go back to school for a certificate or degree that will open the door to the career you really want, then you might want to consider that. Keep your career plans flexible so that you have a chance to grow in several directions and not in just one.

[Highered11]

This is a great list of recommendations that can really help people who are out there looking for jobs. In this economy, being proactive is the difference between landing a job and landing the job you want. There are a lot of things out there that can connect you with the people you need to be connected with.

I think the portfolio is the lost art as many of us don't do trade jobs anymore. That is, our jobs don't come with the development and design of something tangible. However, sales and service results are becoming a tangible thing. Even in those industries, you can build a portfolio, which tracks ratings produced by your customer base and sales results versus company standards. Your portfolio can include achievements at your past job, just make sure educate the interviewee on what it was based on.

I think the resume is an addition to the portfolio as it highlights your major achievements and results at past companies. However, most companies will never get to see your portfolio if you don't have a solid cover letter and resume. Consider using a resume service to sharpen this up. I have looked at a lot of resumes, and 99% of people need significant help.

Finally, I really appreciate the people who are a "Jack of all trades". These people can and will dive into any task set forth, and make sure your are diversifying your experiences along with your networks!

Good luck in your search!